I remember...

I remember my own radio. I woke up every morning at 8:30 am, and I switched on my radio to listen to my favorite program on “Almadena FM” and the name of the program was “Good Morning, Syria!” First thing I listened to my favorite singer Fairoz. Her voice was very special and when I listened to her voice I remember my whole life in Syria. The best thing about this program was if you have a friend’s birthday, you can send his or her phone number to wish them a happy birthday. During the time of the program, it was like a surprise for your friend. I did this for my best friend Noor and she was happy. Now my special radio is in my house in Syria. I try to go back with my memory by listening to Fairoz’ songs because all the time in the morning I listened to her to remember beautiful memories with my friends and to remember my home ad my little black radio.

Fatima

I remember...

I remember the eyes and tears of my mother. But before I talk about my mother, I will describe my family. I have a very big family: eight brothers and five sisters. I’m the seventh in the family. I say “sorrows of my mother” (tears of my mom) because I am the only person from my family who is in exile: immigration commodes, escape into the unknown. It was the only way for me to maintain the safety of my family first, my personal safety secondly, where it became a source of concern for my family. Before 2000, some unjust people chased me every week. Why? Because they wanted people to be silent! How? Why? Where? When? What? I DO NOT KNOW! One day somebody came and said, “Get out!” so I decided to escape. This is where the suffering of my mother began. The day of the travel arrived. I put on my clothes. My mother prepared my travelling bag, talked to me and relieved me from pain. In a moment, she said, “Why do you need to travel? Why don’t you stay?” This is when the tears started to come down and I was not attentive but I realized that her voice changed. I looked at my mother crying but without sounds. I said that it was too hard to stay.
Position and the impact of my sight, but… but… but… but what could I say?? I came out of the house and I became a prisoner of tears of my mother and my own salvation.
We all live in a big prison and every person is a prisoner of suffering and pain.

Ahmad

Parents and Children

In my native country Iraq the average family size is six.But 20 years ago ,the average family was nine to eleven people because the life was easy and not expensive.
I the U.S. the averagy family is 3 or 4 people.The mother in my country has these responsibilitis in raising childrens :help with their homework,cook,clean,wash clouths,………etc.
In my country, the averagy age for marriage is 32 to 35 years for men and for women it is 25 to 29 years old.But in the U.S. averagy marriage age is 27 years for men and 25 years for women.In my country the father first of all has to provide financial support, what the family needs,play with their children,care for the whole family ,bay things,transport the family ,..etc.
But in the U.S. fathers help with their family less.Father provides financial support,care emotional support.I remember in my country the mothers sometime work and sometimes doesn’t work.
When I think about “parenting style”, I understand that all countries are different.I belive the structure and idea for oarents and children is different in the U.S. than in Iraq . In my country permissive style is used approximately 20% of the time, authoritarian -10%,outhoritative-66%. This is sometimes a problem because I don’t understand why people

Ahmad

Parents and Children

In my native country, the average family size is five people. Fathers in Mexico have these responsibilities in raising children: fathers in my country play billiards, football, soccer, watch movies and have fun with children. They go shopping for food on Sunday. Mothers in Mexico, cook, clean and send children to school. Mothers do not work. Raising children today is more expensive to pay for living in Mexico.
In Mexico in same cities it’s too hard to find jobs. I think girls are easier to raise because mother spend more time with girls. Girls I think never look for problems. Boys always find problem. The minimum age for men to have children is 22 years old. The maximum age to be a father is 50 years old. The minimum age for women to have a child is 24 years old. The maximum age for women to have a child in my native country is 45 year old.

Benjamin

I remember...

When I was a child I like to go to school. I had lot of friends but only one was my best friend. His name is Carlos Pimentel. We sat together and played together. We did a lot of things together. We were good friends.
In my family, there were seven people. My father died when he was 50 years old and my life changed from there. We didn’t have money to pay the bills and food.
I liked to go to school because that was my fun child time.

Benjamin

I remember...

I remember my childhood. When I was five years old my parents, three of my younger brothers and I lived in a small village called AL-Maih. It was near to Euphrates river in south of Iraq. The river would overflow seasonally in summer.
My oldest brother had a good summer. He looked for bird eggs, which made nest on the hills. He made a boat of a half of a barrel. I saw him jump hill to hill and the birds hovered around him. We all clapped when he arrived. That is one picture from many childhood memories. I would like to live in that time but the minute hand doesn’t go back again. We would like to do more than the dreamers without future because we live in real time. We will be getting from the childhood preachments to the advantage of others.

Nasir

Let me introduce myself

My name is Dung. In this class call me is Dung. My native is Viet Nam. My native language is Vietnamese. I can also speak English. There are six people in my family: my mother, three sisters and two brothers. My favorite food is fish, beef, chicken and rice. I like reading books about history and cooking. I like watching the TV about cooking and action movies. I also like the “Ellen” show. I came the United States in 2006,because my husband lives here .What I don’t like about living here is I can’t drive a car because of snow. In my native country I was an office work. In the United State I have a job. I started coming to ESL class on October 21, 2013. My purpose for coming to school is I want to go to a doctor by myself and get better at my job.

Fall Break

Our fall break was short but my classmates did a lot of interesting things. Suham travelled to Michigan by car. Norma stayed at home with her family every day and she cooked meals and practiced English. Norma went to the gym at the LA Fitness in Fridley on Monday and Friday because she liked to exercise. Sonia watched News and The Master Chef show at 7:00 pm. Sergiu studied English because he wanted to speak English well. Sonia read a children’s book for 40 minutes. May Yong didn’t stay at home because she went to the dentist. Rihab visited her friend, her uncle in Fridley last week. Sergiu went to Walmart and bought auto parts with his friend. Sonia played with her children in the living room for 2 hours. Prisca vacuumed the floor and cleaned the kitchen for 30 minutes. Rihab’s family, who lives in Iraq, talked to her for one hour on the phone. Sonia helped her children read the Animal book and do their homework for one hour. I went to park close to my house with my daughter. I had fun!

Tu

Fall Break

Our fall break was short but my classmates did a lot of interesting things. Suhan traveled to Michigan and she went shopping. Sonia liked to watch TV and she had a break and she watched movies. Sergiu studied English and he spoke a little bit. Prisca read book and the little of her favorite book is: “Manual of drives license “. Rihab visited friends in Coon Rapids. Sonia played with her children at home. Prisca leaned her house on Saturday because her house was messy. Suhan talk on the telephone with her friend every evening.

Tatiana

Let me introduce myself

My name is Tatiana. In this class please call me Tatiana. My native country is Moldova. My native language is Moldovan. I can also speak Moldovan and Russian. There are 3 people in my family: husband; son and I. My favorite food is pizza. I don’t like reading books. I like watching movies on TV. I come to the U.S. in 2011 because there are no jobs in my country. What I like about living in the U.S. is I like economics. What I don’t like about living here is the house rent is too mashed. In my native country, I was a hair stylist. In the U.S., I don’t have a job. I started Coming to ESL classes in September 2 2013. My purpose for coming to school is to understand people.

Fall Break

Our fall break was short but my classmates did a lot of interesting things. Suham drove to Michigan for a vacation and she went shopping. Sergiu stayed at his home in Coon Rapids and watched TV because he didn’t have any place to go. Tatiana went to the gym at the Life Time Fitness and she swam because she likes swimming. Sonia watched TV more than three hours in one day because at 7:00 pm she liked to see her favorite show Master Chef Show and see the news. Sergio spent 2 hours in one day to study English vocabulary Sonia read her daughter’s book and the name of book was Jenny. B. Jones; she only read one book. Rihab was sick for four days. She drank Ibuprofen and she didn’t go to the hospital. Tu went to the park with his daughter and he swung with her. Sandra visited her friend Lili and two other friends who live in Blaine. May Yong went shopping with her family at the Hmong Market and she bought some vegetables. May Yong play Peek-a-boo with her son at home and she said nobody won the game. Suham cleaned her house with a vacuum on Sunday for 30 minutes. Rihab talked about everything with her family for half an hour. Suham helped her children with their English grammar for 2 hours. I stayed at home and studied English using a computer> I also cooked, watched TV, and read a driver's manual. I enjoyed staying at home.

Prisca

Fall Break

Our fall break was short but my classmates did a lot of interesting thing. Tu drove to another state with his family for a vacation. Norma stayed at home with her family every day and she cooked and practiced English. Tatiana went to the gym with her family because she liked to exercise. Sonai watched soup opera on TV. SerGiu liked to speak and study English at home. Prica liked to read books at home and she practiced for her driver’s. Norma helped her children with math and her children said thank you for help. Tatiana went to the park in the evening. She had barbecue in the park and she played with her son. Sandra talked on the telephone a lot three times a day.

May Yong

Let me introduce myself

My name is Jianping. In this class please call me Jianping .My native country is China. My native language is Chinese. I can also speak English. There are 3 people in my family: my husband, his son and I. My favorite food is crab and vegetable soup. I like reading books about history .I like watching TV about the world and other TV shows. I came to the United States in 2013, because my husband lives here. What I like about living in the U.S.is I can be with my husband together. What I don’t like about living here is I miss my family and friends. In my native country I was an office worker. In the U. S., I don’t have a job. I started coming to ESL classes on September 1, 2013. My purpose for coming to school is I want to get a job.

Let me introduce myself

My name is Biftu. In this class please call me Biftu. My native country is Ethiopia, My home town is Shashemene. My native language is Oromo. I can also speak Amaharic. There are four people in my family: my husband, my sister-in-law, my brother –in-law and me.My favorite food is doro wot,michiraand shiro.I like watching TV about religion.I came to the U.S in 2013 b/c my husband livis here.What Ilike about living in the U.S.A is I can get education and get a good job. What I don’t like about livng here is I don’t drive yet. In the U.S I do have a job. I started coming to ESL classes on November 4, 2013. My purpose for coming to school is I want to go to college.

Let me introduce myself

My name is Alina. My native country is Moldova. Moldova is near the Ukraine and Romania. I can also speak Russian. I live in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota now. I don’t live in apartment but I live in a house now. In my house there is more room. There are two people in my family: my husband and me.
My favorite food is shrimp but I also like vegetables and fruits. I like reading books about life, love, hope because in these books there is inspiration for living.
I come to the United States in 2013 because my fiancé lives here and I got married here on October 12 this year. In the USA I don’t have a job because I go to school every day. I started coming to ESL classes in November 4 of this year and I am in level 3 here.